Cancer Returns: Hello everyone. Yesterday I went... - My Ovacome

My Ovacome

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Cancer Returns

TudorPurr68 profile image
42 Replies

Hello everyone. Yesterday I went for my usual once every 3 weeks Avastin treatment at the Macmillan Cancer Centre UCLH. I met with my lovely oncologist Dr Miller and was given some results, blood and latest CT scan. She sat closer than usual but it didn't register. She gave me dreadful sad news. My ca125 is 60. The cancer is back! Growths are 1. Lymph Nodes. 2. On the bowel. 3. Peritoneum and 4. Omentum even though my Omentum was removed last year.

I was told gently and with genuine compassion that surgery isn't an option and if the new chemo works, I could have another 5 years.

I am in shock still. I start chemo again on August 13th. It will be Carboplatin again but this time also Caelyx ( Don't know if I spelled that correctly).

Basically, I live alone with my 2 beautiful Cats. All sorts of stuff is swirling in my mind at the moment. I do feel sorry for myself, I know I shouldn't.

Any hugs and positive words are welcome. I DON'T want advice and 'what to do's' I have plenty of that to be getting on with.

Good luck and God Bless to you all. Perhaps see you at the Chemo Centre? XxxX 😞

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TudorPurr68
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42 Replies
sticky3006 profile image
sticky3006

What a shock for you. I think we all desperately hope for good news and when it's the opposite it seems like we're living through a horrific nightmare. All I can say is that you are being treated at a great hospital and your oncologist sounds kind and empathetic. I'm thinking of you and pray that the new chemo will be effective. x

dryden1 profile image
dryden1

I am so sorry to hear your news. It is always a shock when the cancer reoccur. I have hadcarboplatin and caelyx and it did the trick and I went into remission again and had very few side effects,so I hope you have a good result also. It must be hard having to cope with this bloody awful disease when you live alone I don,t want to give too much advice but what about support groups at the local hospital . Chris

TudorPurr68 profile image
TudorPurr68 in reply to dryden1

Hello Chris. Your words are nice and reassuring. Yes I'm getting good support from the Macmillan team etc. I hope I don't have too many side effects, it was hell last time. Thank you.

Coldethyl profile image
Coldethyl

Sorry to hear this - hoping the new chemo does the trick - just focus on getting through this stage - I’m glad you were told in a compassionate way and that your oncology team are supportive - thinking of you x

Caleda4 profile image
Caleda4

Hello there, I am so sorry that you find yourself with a re-currence, which definitely none of us wants to be told even if it is in the nicest possible way. As Sticky has said you really are at one of the best hospitals & I will keep my fingers crossed in hope that the treatment works for you & allows you some extra time. Sending you hugs. Love Caleda.xxx

TudorPurr68 profile image
TudorPurr68 in reply to Caleda4

Thank you x

Cynthia18 profile image
Cynthia18

I am so sorry to hear of your news!!! My biggest fear...

I am sending you a great big hug💖

I have a wooden sign hanging in my house that SAYS THE BEST PART OF THE FUTURE IS THAT IT COMES ONE DAY AT A TIME

Maus123 profile image
Maus123

Sorry you have to experience a recurrence. That just blows. It"s tough to see the woods for the trees after a message like that, but maybe you can take heart from the ladies who have been through more than one recurrence and still live a good life.

Would parp inhibitors be an option for you, after chemo or instead of it?

Best of luck with the new chemo. xx. Maus

Flamingobeef18 profile image
Flamingobeef18

Well that sucks. You poor thing you have every right to feel sorry for yourself. But know that you will get through this and out the other side.

Sending you lots of love

Juliax

TudorPurr68 profile image
TudorPurr68 in reply to Flamingobeef18

Thank you Julia x

Petrolhead profile image
Petrolhead

Absolute bummer. So hard for you. Good luck with the new treatment.

Best wishes

Fay

Lindaura profile image
Lindaura

Yes, this is so disappointing. Our kind of cancer is mysterious and relentless. Some ladies never have a recurrence and others have them more often then they would like.

I understand now about being a fighter.

In the beginning, I was too ill to fight and just gave into treatment, but after my first recurrence, I understood that fighting was what I am going to be doing a lot of.

Fighting for the best treatment as well as wrestling with the beast.

Keep up the fight!

Laura

TudorPurr68 profile image
TudorPurr68 in reply to Lindaura

Absolutely Laura, we are warriors of the toughest kind. What hit hardest was the words 'in operable '. I must say, I'm wrestling with that the most x

Lindaura profile image
Lindaura in reply to TudorPurr68

I have read in the Ovacome magazine, that Prof F thinks a second surgery can be an excellent weapon in stopping or slowing progression after or as part of treatment for a first recurrence.

Since my cancer was not completely destroyed after second line, and although tiny, the nodules are growing under Niraparib, so I would not consider this a second recurrence, but rather a progression.

I am going to ask for a second surgery, but if no joy from my Oncologist, I will ask for a second opinion from the Prof.

Hugs,

Laura

Purple-iris profile image
Purple-iris

So sorry that you are having to deal with a recurrence so soon. You have every right to feel sorry for yourself ! Sounds like you are being cared for by a great team but doesn’t make it any easier to accept. Good luck for the 13 th and hope your treatment gets you back to stable disease.

Love, best wishes and a big hug

Kim x

TudorPurr68 profile image
TudorPurr68 in reply to Purple-iris

Bless you Kim, thank you. x

Perthgirl profile image
Perthgirl

The news none of us wants to hear! Sorry that you have to face this recurrence but sounds like you have a great team at the hospital and your beautiful furry family who are always there. Thinking of you, sending positive thoughts, stay strong 🌹

TudorPurr68 profile image
TudorPurr68 in reply to Perthgirl

Yes my 'fur purrs' x

Stanmore profile image
Stanmore

Horrible shock sending lots of love and hugs to you x

Lovingfall profile image
Lovingfall

So sorry to hear this new., Hopefully the chemo will work and work well and you get a easy 7 to 10 years..After that try chemo again if needed don't give us the ship..hugs to you.

Bettyxxx profile image
Bettyxxx

Sorry to hear your news, sending you a big hug, give those lovely kittys a big cuddle, they wont ask questions or give you advice xxx works with me and my little dog xxx

TudorPurr68 profile image
TudorPurr68 in reply to Bettyxxx

Thank you. My 'lions' are my world, even when they're naughty!! x

Shorty864 profile image
Shorty864

Just gone through another year of it, first diagnosis and then treatment, started on my birthday in September 2018 and will get my visit to my oncologist regarding the scan on my birthday of 2019 (bloods are all clear), so understand you my dear, but we must fight on even for our beautiful cats. A big hug. Anne Xxx

TudorPurr68 profile image
TudorPurr68 in reply to Shorty864

Thank you dearly Anne x

Solange profile image
Solange

I'm so sorry to read your news. I almost think being told you have your first recurrence is as traumatising as being told you have cancer in the first place. I certainly felt it was. I hope you feel better once you start Chemo again. At least you will be doing something positive to fight this hateful disease.

Sending love and a great big virtual hug. I'm so pleased you have your cats. They can be very comforting. Try and keep smiling, Solange 😊

TudorPurr68 profile image
TudorPurr68 in reply to Solange

Thank you Solange x

Bailey81 profile image
Bailey81

Love and big hugs to you. x

Avocapearl profile image
Avocapearl

Hugs to you .Dr Miller really is lovely, isn't she? I'm on the second round with Carbo and Caelyx too. So good luck to both of us xxx

TudorPurr68 profile image
TudorPurr68 in reply to Avocapearl

Absolutely Pearl x

Ugglan profile image
Ugglan

So sorry to hear you got such bad news. I hope you can get support from your cancer center and that you feel the support of all of us here thinking of you! It must be difficult living alone in times like these, even if I believe cats can be great at trying to make you feel better. Best of luck with your new chemo! xx

TudorPurr68 profile image
TudorPurr68 in reply to Ugglan

Thank you x

Birdsong222 profile image
Birdsong222

I too found it a real bummer being told it was back, even though l had started to feel unwell again. It takes a while, but you will wake up one day soon and your fighting spirit will be back. Good luck with the new treatment, many ladies have only positive things to say about that combination of chemo.

Be thinking of you on 13th August. Sending a very large all encompassing hug.

Sylvia x

TudorPurr68 profile image
TudorPurr68 in reply to Birdsong222

Thank you Sylvia x

Maxjor profile image
Maxjor

Dealing with my 2nd recurrence right now so I understand that feeling when the ca125 starts rising. I too had Carbo Caelyx for 1st recurrence and found it the least hard of the three kinds now (Taxol/Caelyx and Gemzar--always with Carbo). I quickly went back to remission with Carbo Caelyx and found I had only two "not feeling great" days out of a month. Its still the digesting of the news that one has to get their head around. I hope you prove them wrong with "how long" you have --there are new treatments on the way just like PARPs were a few years back. Hugs, Judy

TudorPurr68 profile image
TudorPurr68 in reply to Maxjor

💖x

Neona profile image
Neona

I am on a clinical trial across the road from Macmillan a5 the UCLH Research Facility. Chemo didn’t work for me at all and I recurred immediately. I have been on this trial for 19 months now and stable and there are just so many new treatments coming on. Meanwhile good luck with the chemo!

delia2 profile image
delia2

I’m so sorry this has happened. I live in dread of it myself. I hope and pray that the new chemo is relatively tolerable and destroys the nasty cancer! I’m glad you have your beautiful cats and friends. Sending love and hugs❤️

Husbandteal profile image
Husbandteal

Am with you! Beginning second round of chemo tomorrow after 18 months remission. And it is just as difficult to hear one has recurrence as the first diagnosis! Am dreading the side effects but also thankful for excellent care. This group means the world to me!

Ge0rg1na profile image
Ge0rg1na

I too live alone with my cat and I wouldn't want to put another human being through the cancer journey so being single has its advantages. It's just so horrendous and it hits you like a 10 ton truck whatever the bad news, every time. I'm sorry you have to go through this but as you have already realized you're in an excellent centre. I was there for a couple of trials myself and of the 5 I've been on since diagnosis in 2010, it's the best. Good luck and I reckon you'll amaze yourself with how strong you are.

Gina x

Artgreen profile image
Artgreen

Im so sorry to hear this, what a shock for you. I hope the chemo isn’t too hard on you. I’m sending hugs and love xx

Tabor profile image
Tabor

Hugs to you TudorPurr68,

My heart aches for you for what you were told. We will be sending prayers up for you, because God still answers prayers and works miracles. Stay strong and fight this with a positive attitude, you got this sweetie.

Love to you!!

Pat

Barmycharm profile image
Barmycharm

So sorry for your shocking news. That is so hard for you to take. Don’t feel guilty about feeling sorry for yourself, you have every justification for it?! Do your cats sense your angst, they often do and cuddle up as if trying to comfort you don’t they?! As many others have said you’re in the best hands and your oncologist sounds so kind caring and supportive which does at least help through your treatments and appointments doesn’t it?

Sending huge hugs and Best wishes for your future. In the end you will pick up enough to fight on through

Much love

Claire xx

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